Bellingham Ruck Club
Strapping weight to your back and moving through the world is one of the oldest human acts there is. We're bringing it back — on the trails of the PNW, training toward GORUCK.
Movement
with weight.
A rucksack. Some weight. The trails outside Bellingham. That's really all this takes to get started.
Rucking is walking with a loaded pack — and it has been a cornerstone of human endurance for as long as we've been moving across the earth. Soldiers, hunters, and travelers have carried loads since the beginning. There's something about the simplicity of it that cuts through everything modern life has cluttered itself with. The weight demands honesty. The miles ask questions. What you discover out there is what makes it worth doing.
The Bellingham Ruck Club is part of The Primal Revolution — my ongoing project since 2013 to explore what the ultimate human experience actually looks like when we stop making excuses and start doing the work. We train toward GORUCK events: team-based endurance challenges built on military foundations and powered by relentless forward movement. But before the events, there are the trails. And the training. And the community of people who show up.
We use the Sophrosyne framework alongside the physical training — eight pillars for daily self-examination that have come from my own coaching practice. The ruck builds the body. The pillars do the rest of the work.
If you're ready to dive in, feel free to join our Facebook group for event notifications.
Because not everyone has social media, I'll be sharing most updates via a Substack newsletter — sign up for email updates here. What is Substack? In short, it's a way to combine a newsletter and blog, all in one! The beauty of it is that you don't have to make an account to access the information. You can simply input your email as if it were a newsletter; and if you want to engage in comments/chats, you can create an account.
Ready to move?
The trail doesn't care where you're starting from. Only that you show up.
Sign Up for Weekly UpdatesQuestions? ruck(at)beastgoddess.com
Three tiers.
The tiers are drawn from the Spiral of Transformation — a progression that moves from raw physical capacity toward integrated self-mastery. Advancement doesn't come from the ego, but is instead about consistency, showing up, and honest self-assessment. The weight on your back will tell you when you're ready. Rush it and it will humble you every time.
Think of each tier as an invitation to a standard — a place to practice from, not a judgment, nor a ceiling. Where you start doesn't matter. That you start does.
Atalanta
"Physical power and autonomy. You are remembering what your body can do."
Atalanta was a huntress — abandoned at birth, raised by bears, faster than any man who came for her. She found her strength not in controlled settings but by moving through the wild. At this tier, you're doing the same. You're building the habit. You're figuring out how your body responds to load. And you'll realize, probably faster than you expected, that you're stronger than you thought.
- Complete a 4-mile Padden Loop ruck
- Ruck 2x per week for 4 consecutive weeks
- Attend 2 group rucks per month
- Log 3 rucks in one week for the first time
- Complete the Nightly Check-In for 7 consecutive days
- A solo ruck in nature — no tech, no company. This is your invitation to meet yourself in your mind, free from distractions.
Artemis
"Wild instinct and self-trust. You have found your rhythm — now push deeper."
Artemis doesn't second-guess herself. By this tier, you know your body. You've stopped waiting to feel ready. The work gets more intentional — longer distances, more weight, and more honest conversations with yourself about what you're actually capable of. The question shifts from "can I do this?" to "what's the next edge?"
- 8 weeks consistent — 2+ rucks per week
- Complete an 8-mile ruck at full Artemis weight
- Written or spoken reflection: "What am I reclaiming?"
- 8-mile ruck at Artemis weight, sub 2:45
- Add 5 lbs for a full week — see what that does
- Bring someone new into the club
Sophrosyne
"Integration and balance. You carry weight — physical and otherwise — without apology or explanation."
Sophrosyne (Ancient Greek: σωφροσύνη) — a healthy state of mind, characterized by self-control, moderation, and a deep awareness of one's true self, resulting in true happiness.
Sophrosyne isn't the loudest or the heaviest lifter. She's the one who has done enough inner work that proving it is no longer the point. The strength is real — built over months of consistent effort — and so is the quiet. She leads with clarity. And she understands that the training never ends, because arriving was never the goal.
- 12-week consistent training log
- Complete Artemis tier requirements
- 12-mile ruck at Sophrosyne weight, sub 3:30
- Complete the GORUCK Simulation Day (event coming soon)
- Complete an official GORUCK event — any distance
- Summit a local mountain with full ruck weight
- 30-day daily self-connection practice integrating physical + mental
- 6- or 12-hour SEALFIT event
Eight pillars.
One practice.
The Primal Revolution has always been about more than physical output. The Sophrosyne Nightly Check-In grew out of my own life coaching practice — eight questions that help you close the day in integrity rather than just motion. We use it at the end of every group ruck. Over time, patterns emerge. You start seeing what's actually true about how you're living.
We close every group ruck with a 2-minute check-in — everyone rates energy 1–10, no explanation required. Over time, patterns show up. You learn what depletes you and what refills the tank.
Showing up and logging miles is one thing. Were you actually present? Did you feel the cold air, the pack straps, the ground underfoot? Numbers are easier to track than embodiment.
Bellingham gives us Chuckanut, Padden, Baker, the bay. We build intentional pauses into our rucks — a breath at the ridge, a moment at the water's edge. Time in the trees is training too.
We end every group ruck by sharing one moment of genuine satisfaction from the day. Hard training needs joy to be sustainable. Also: food after a long ruck hits differently.
Discipline isn't punishment — it's integrity with yourself. The real question in tier conversations: are you training from a foundation of self-respect, or from not-enoughness? The body knows the difference even when the mind doesn't.
At Sophrosyne tier, a daily practice beyond the ruck is recommended. Five minutes of journaling post-session counts. When weather and time allow, we sit in silence after rucks — to let the work integrate before the day moves on.
Document the journey however feels honest — photos, voice memos, writing. Public or private. You're a witness to your own transformation. Optional group shares for those who want to be celebrated.
The most useful question in every debrief. The hard miles are always communicating something — if you stay with the question long enough to hear it. This is where the real growth lives.
"Tired does not equal defeat."Primal Revolution Ethos · Savannah Wishart
The code
we keep.
I've always had a resistance to rules that exist for the sake of rules. What I've found more useful — through years of hard training and harder self-examination — is creating personal standards that ensure I keep showing up at a high level and continue growing from there. These agreements extend outward from how I treat myself to how we treat each other on the trail.
Within the first miles of every GORUCK event, the anxiety I'd been carrying all week goes quiet — replaced by the simple necessity of the work. The ruck isn't trying to break you. It's showing you what you're made of. Keep moving.
Zero tolerance for gossip, comparison culture, or diminishing another member's progress. We don't shrink people here — including ourselves. If something's not working, we name it directly and with care. A win for one member is a win for the whole team.
The cold mornings. The sore shoulders. The last two miles you didn't think you had in you. These aren't obstacles to the training — they are the training. You chose this. Return to that choice when it gets hard. Remember how good the shower is going to feel.
You are responsible for your training, your energy, your attitude. When you miss weeks — and you will — you return without drama, without a long explanation, without shame. No wallowing. You pick up and move forward.
There is no final destination. No fitness level where you get to stop. No version of yourself that's "done." The moment curiosity shuts off is when real growth stops. Stay with the questions — about the training, the trail, your body, and what's still possible.
How you show up on the trail mirrors how you show up everywhere. The ruck humbles the ego after a few miles. Armor begins to fall away. That's one of the things I love most about it — you can't fake your way through hour four.
One of the most powerful aspects of GORUCK events is carrying each other — sometimes literally. When someone advances through the tiers, we all feel it. This is team sport, not individual performance. No one gets left behind.
Crying on a ruck is allowed. Laughing loudly on a ruck is invited. You are welcome here as the full version of yourself — not the version that's edited for public consumption.
Gear up
simply.
An old pack with some weight in it will get you through Atalanta tier without a problem — use rocks, a kettlebell, whatever you've got. As you advance and start putting in longer miles with heavier loads, good gear pays off. A proper ruck and plate make a real difference at mile 5+. But starting simple beats not starting at all, every time.
Questions about what will work best for your goals and body? Email me — I'm happy to help you figure it out.
- Rucksack — GORUCK Rucker recommended; include hip belt and sternum strap
- Ruck plate or other weight — start light, build over time
- Broken-in trail or hiking shoes (suggested: Mackall rucking shoes or Merrell Trail Gloves)
- Moisture-wicking base layer
- Rain shell — it's the PNW, not a suggestion
- Hydration — bottle or bladder
- Headlamp for dawn or dusk rucks
- Reflective tape on pack
- Merino wool socks
- Trekking poles (backcountry/mountain rucks)
- Small first aid kit
- Snacks — non-negotiable
- Journal for post-ruck reflection
- Watercolors or art supplies for special event days
- Atalanta — Women: 10–15 lbs / Men: 15–20 lbs
- Artemis — Women: 20 lbs / Men: 30 lbs
- Sophrosyne — Women: 25–30 lbs / Men: 45 lbs
- GORUCK Light: 20 lbs (W) / 30 lbs (M)
- GORUCK Tough: 25–30+ lbs (W) / 45+ lbs (M)
- GORUCK Rucker 4.0 — built specifically for rucking
- GORUCK ruck plate
- Old backpack + weight plates — works fine for Atalanta tier
- Weighted vest or Spy Ruck (for women) — fun alternative; not valid for official events
What you
need to know.
Walking with a weighted pack. When I first heard about ruck events, I couldn't wrap my head around it — "Isn't that just hiking?" In a way, yes. It's one of the oldest forms of human movement: soldiers, hunters, gatherers have been doing it forever. The weight builds aerobic fitness and muscular endurance with far less impact than running, and it's one of the most effective tools I've found for building real strength while also regulating the nervous system.
Click here to join the Facebook group, or reach out via email.
Most updates will be shared on the Bellingham Ruck Club Substack — weekly newsletters with the local event, plus some inspirational thought bites and a remote rucking challenge. You can sign up for emails there without needing an account.
Team-based, through and through. If you've ever heard of BUD/S boat crews — that's the spirit. The team supports whoever is struggling most. No one gets left behind. This isn't Spartan or Tough Mudder (though I will design some events where we get properly muddy). The goal is to get everyone across the finish line together.
No. The Atalanta tier meets you where you are. 10–15 pounds and a willingness to show up is the only prerequisite. The fitness comes from the training — that's the entire point.
The Primal Revolution is for everyone. The ruck club welcomes all people — warrior, beast, dreamer, whatever you identify with. Sophrosyne has no gender. That said, as we grow, my intention is to build a women's-only track for those who want it.
Team-based endurance challenges led by Special Forces cadre. The GORUCK Light runs 4–5 hours; the GORUCK Tough runs 10–12 hours. They are among the most clarifying experiences I've had in my life — the kind that reframe everything else as more possible than you thought. My own background is with MILRUCK in Sweden, which runs on a similar model. Sophrosyne tier is designed to get you GORUCK Tough-ready.
Locations rotate — Padden, Chuckanut, the waterfront, local trails. We share the location ahead of time with participants.
One group ruck per week to start. Attendance is encouraged but not mandatory every week. Your solo rucking fills the rest of your weekly distance goals.
Eight self-assessment questions I return to each day: Energy, Movement, Nature Time, Pleasure, Discipline, Self-Connection, Creative Expression, Alchemy. I close every group ruck with it and encourage it as a daily personal practice. The physical training is the foundation — the check-in helps you build everything on top of it. It comes from my life coaching framework, the Sophrosyne Way.
You come back. No explanation needed, no shame spiral, no long apology. Radical ownership means picking up where you left off and moving forward. Wallowing doesn't serve anyone — least of all you. Life happens. We start again.
I'm ready. Let's go.
The trail is waiting. The pack is optional for now — just show up first.
Join the Ruck Club"Always strive for perfection knowing that though you may fall short, at the very least, you will land at excellence."Primal Revolution Ethos · Savannah Wishart
Hej, I'm
Savannah.
happiest with weight on my back and a mountain in front of me
I'm drawn to hard things. Not because pain is the goal — but because choosing difficulty is one of the most reliable paths back to yourself.
Rucking found me at a point when my world was collapsing and I needed to rebuild my relationship with my own capability. There's something in the logic of MILRUCK leader Dennis Hultgren that has always stuck with me: when you're sitting in a café, you've got a thousand problems. Seven hours into a ruck event with a log overhead? You've narrowed that pile down to one: keep moving. That focus is a gift. The training isn't separate from the rest of life — it's a direct expression of it.
I've been coaching people toward their edges for 7 years — in CrossFit, in life coaching, in GORUCK-style training, and in the kind of conversations about strength and self-worth that most people avoid until circumstances force them there. The Bellingham Ruck Club is where all of it comes together: physical training, the Primal Revolution ethos, and the community of people who want to show up differently.
Six MILRUCK finishes. Enough miles under a loaded pack to know that the wall you hit around hour six at 3am is the same wall you meet in every other hard chapter of life — and that what you do there matters. I founded The Primal Revolution in 2013 to explore what it actually means to live beyond merely existing. The ruck club is one of its clearest physical expressions.
Whether you're carrying fifteen pounds for the first time or training for your first GORUCK Tough, I'll be on the trail with you.
"I'm here to be a warrior and a leader. To master myself so I can fulfill this purpose as best I can." — Mark Divine
That quote found me before I had words for it. The warrior is a standard I earn daily — through training, through hard conversations, through the repeated choice to keep moving when stopping would be easier. That's what I want to build through the Bellingham ruck club: a community that explores and expands what's possible.
More about Savannah at primalrevolution.com.